Spinning exercise device



0, 1966 c. J. SAMUEL 3,269,727

SPINNING EXERCISE DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1963 CHESTER J. SAMUEL INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,269,727 SPINNING EXERCISE DEVICE Chester 3. Samuel, 378 N. Royal Poinciana, Miami, Fla. Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,713 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-79) This invention relates to an exercising device for two people of the type wherein a body is subjected by cyclic spinning, in opposite directions of rotation, by means of the axially induced twisting of spaced stands of rope or the like, such as the device shown, for instance, in my prior patent, 3,069,162.

In the said patented device, as well as others of the prior art, the ropes, cords, or cables are threaded through apertures in the body or wall of the spinning body, and it is a general object of the present invention to mount the cords so that there are no direct, acute stresses on the body proper. More particularly, it is an object to provide an auxiliary threading member which shall obviate direct stresses on the spinning body.

Another object is to provide an inflatable spinning body, and a cord-threading member carried in said body and shielding it from cord-induced stresses, and a related object is to provide a device of this nature, in which the cord-threading member is held in place by the inflation pressure, and is easily insertable or removable under conditions of deflation of the body.

These and other objects, such as ease of manufacture and low cost, are attained by the present invention, which may be briefly described as comprising an inflatable sphere of rubbery material, having antipodal openings joined by a flexible tube in air-sealing relation to the sphere, and a rigid body having edge slots 'for receiving the operating cords holding them in place in said tube by inflation pressure.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the following specification, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the spinning body, with the operating cords, in partly wound condition, shown as broken, for foreshortening, lengthwise of the system;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on a diametral plane, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the sphere deflated;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the diametral plane indicated by the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the diametral plane indicated by the line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the torque-generating insert, apart from the axial passage of the inflatable sphere.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference there is shown a spherical, main body 10, of rubbery material, such as a vinyl plastic, or rubber, itself, the body being relatively thin-walled, or shell-like in construction, so as to be inflatable, as through a valve 12, in the wall of the sphere. At diametrically opposite, antipodal or polar regions, the sphere has circular openings 14, to which are secured, as by heat-sealing, the ends 16 of a plastic tube 18, also of vinyl, which in the absence of deforming pressures is adapted to assume a tubular form for snuggly receiving a member therethrough in a manner "ice to be described. There is thus provided an axial passage through the sphere, and the sphere is leakproof in the annular area surrounding the tube.

The purpose of the axial tube is to receive, and retain, a torque-generating member or anchorage for the cords, which comprises a rectangular slab of wood 20, of oblong cross section, having V slots 22 in the opposite, long edges, for reception of the cords 24, 26, the opposite ends of which are received in apertures 28 in round, wooden handles or rods 30, being anchored thereto as by knots 32. Each handle 30 is adapted to be manipulated by the two hands of each of a pair of spaced users, assuming a suitable cord length, or by one hand of each of two persons. Operation may also be effected 'by holding down one handle with the feet, and pulling the other with one or two hands.

To achieve spinning operations, the cords are slipped into V grooves 22, and the block 20 is inserted into the tube 18 of the deflated ball, after threading one of the handles 30 therethrough. Thereafter, the sphere is inflated, through valve 12, with the resultant pressure urging tube 18 into intimate contact with block 20, that is to say, into a generally rectangular form in section (FIG. 2). This not only holds the block positioned within the sphere, but also keeps the cords from slipping out of the V grooves. Thereafter, the spinning of the sphere may be effected in a manner well understood in the art, but with the direct force of the cord applied to the sides of the V grooves, and with the forces transmitting the torque to the sphere, well distributed, and therefore not destructive.

The torque block and cords are easily removed, by slightly reducing the pressure, so that the ball may be used for other purposes, such as those of a beach ball. Also, the cords alone may be removed in the same manner so that the ball can be used in the conventional mannor with the torque block adding extra weight.

An additional safeguard against displacement of the cords from the block, which might be important before and during insertion, may be provided by use of rubber bands 34, which in turn are retained in place by notches 36 (FIG. 6) in the sides of the U-shaped groove of the torque block 20.

While a certain, preferred embodiment has been shown and described, various modifications will be apparent, in the light of this disclosure, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar as shall appear from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spinning device comprising an inflatable body with opposite openings, a flexible tube secured in said body, in air sealing relationship, and with its open ends communicating with said openings, a torque block received in said tube and having a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinal grooves, the tube being adapted to overlay the grooves, cords received in said grooves and normally urged in place by the tube, and handles anchoring said cords in spaced apart relationship.

2. A device as in claim 1, said body being spherical, and said openings antipodally disposed.

3. A device as in claim 2, said block being oblong in cross section, and said grooves being in the plane of the maximum lateral dimension.

4. A device as in claim 3, said block being rectangular in cross section.

5. A device as in claim 4, said grooves being V-form in cross section.

6. In a device as in claim 5, rings of rubbery material surrounding said block in retaining relationship to said cords.

7. A device as in claim 6, said body and said tube formed from vinyl plastic material.

8. A spinning device comprising an inflatable body with opposite openings, a flexible tube secured in said body, in air sealing relationship, and with its open ends communicating with said openings, a torque block received in said tube, said tube maintaining the block in the tube when the ball is inflated, a first cord and a second cord connected to said block intermediate the ends of the respective cords with the distal ends extending outwardly from spaced points on the block, said points being separated in space by the block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,851,769 3/1932 Hutchinson 46-62 2,988,846 6/1961 Samuel 4662 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPINNING DEVICE COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE BODY WITH OPPOSITE OPENINGS, A FLEXIBLE TUBE SECURED IN SAID BODY, IN AIR SEALING RELATIONSHIP, AND WITH ITS OPEN ENDS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OPENINGS, A TORQUE BLOCK RECEIVED IN SAID TUBE AND HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED, LONGITUDINAL GROOVES, THE TUBE BEING ADAPTED TO OVERLAY THE GROOVES, CORDS RECEIVED IN SAID GROOVES AND NORMALLY URGED IN PLACE BY THE TUBE, AND HANDLES ANCHORING SAID CORDS IN SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP. 